Electric socket plug removal means



Nov. 2, 1965 R. J. CAPAROSA 3,215,971

ELECTRIC SOCKET PLUG REMOVAL MEANS Filed Oct. 20, 1964 INVENTOR mg. Cuporosa my fa' W United States Patent 3,215,971 ELECTRIC SOCKET PLUG REMOVAL MEANS Ralph J. Caparosa, 58 Locksley Drive, Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed Oct. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 405,136 Claims. (Cl. 339-45) This invention relates to electric socket plug removal means and particularly to a plug removal for removing plugs without applying a load to the wires or wire con nections.

It is well known that electric appliance and lamp cords are attached to socket plugs by connecting the wire ends of the cords to the terminals of the plug and that it is a common practice to remove the plug from its socket by pulling on the cord. This, of course, transmits all of the pull onto the terminals and wire ends and frequently results in pulling the wire ends from the terminals or breaking the wires within the plug.

A great variety of devices have been proposed for overcoming this problem, but in all cases the proposed devices have required a special plug and clamp, For example, Webster, Patent 2,810,116; Jankura, Patent 2,463,- 542; Klumpp, Patent 2,724,736; and Ustin, Patent 2,716,- 741 all propose solutions to the problem but in all cases require a special plug.

I have invented a socket plug removal device which solves this problem of plug removal and which is adapted for use on any presently existing electrical socket plug as well as for incorporation onto newly manufactured plugs.

In a preferred form of my invention, I provide in an electrical plug socket having terminal prongs at one end and a wire cable extending from the opposite end, a flexible saddle having a portion fitting between the terminal prongs and arms extending along opposite sides of the plug body and along a portion of the cable sufiicient to form a hand grip, and means on said portion extending along the cable fastening said arms together about the cable. Preferably, the arms are provided with semiacylindrical spacer bushings which surround the cable and space the arms from said cable so that no pull is exerted on said cable.

In the foregoing general description, I have set out certain objects, advantages and purposes of my invention. Other objects, purposes and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is an isometric exploded view of the plug removal means of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of an electric socket plug with the removal means of my invention in place;

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view partly cut away of a second embodiment of my invention; and

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of a third embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated an electric socket plug of conventional form having contact prongs 11 extending from one end and a cable or cord 12 extending from the opposite end. The cable or cord 12 extends through the plug 10 and is attached to prongs 11 in conventional manner.

A saddle 13 having openings 13a to pass over prongs 11 is placed over the socket plug 10 with arms 14 extending parallel to the cord 12. A pair of semi-cylindrical spacer bushings 15 are placed over cord 12 and abutting 3,215,971 Patented Nov. 2, 1965 the end of plug 10 and the arms 14 folded thereover. The edges of the bushings and the inner surface of saddle '13 and arms 14 are coated with pressure sensitive adhesive in order to bond the saddle to plug 10 and the bushings over cord 12. The cord 12 should be free within the bushings.

With the foregoing arrangement, a plug may be removed from .an electrical socket by grasping arms 14 and bushings 15 between the fingers and pulling. The pull is transmitted to the saddle which bears against the face of the socket plug thereby eliminating all pull on the cord or its electrical connections.

In FIGURE 3 I have illustrated a socket plug 30 having prongs 31 and cord 32 as in FIGURES 1 and 2. A saddle 33 is fitted over plug 30 between prongs 31. The saddle is provided with arms 34 which extend over plug 30 and parallel to cord 32. Each arm '34 is provided with an integral bushing 35 of semi-cylindrical form. Resilient clips 36 are provided on one arm to engage lugs 37 on the other so that when the arms are pressed together over cord 32, the bushings 35 and the arms 34 are held in place about the cord.

In FIGURE 4 I have illustrated still a third embodiment of my invention in which a plug 50 having prongs 51 and cord 52 is provided with .a saddle 53 fitted over plug 50 with openings 53a clearing prongs 51. Curved arms 54 extend over plug 50 and are provided with curved integral bushings 55 which fit over cord 52. As in the case of FIGURE 3, I provide clips 56 and lugs 57 on the arms so that the arms and integral bushings are held together over cord 52. This particular embodiment is peculiarly adapted for use in close quarters. The plug is removed by placing a finger within the curved portion of the arms and the thumb behind the arms and pulling. The result is that the entire pull is transmitted to the saddle 53 and the plug body 50 thus eliminating pull on the cord.

It will be obvious that the arms and spacers may be fastened together in a variety of Ways other than those described and that the saddle and arms may take various configurations depending upon the particular plug to which they are adapted. Accordingly, it will be understood that while I have illustrated and described certain present preferred embodiments of my invention, the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an electrical plug socket having terminal plugs at one end and a wire cord extending from the opposite end, the improvement comprising a flexible saddle fitting between the terminal prongs, arms on said saddle extending on opposite sides of the plug and parallel to a portion of the cord, means spacing said arms from the cord and fastening means fixing the arms about the cord and free of pressure contact on the cord.

2. An electrical plug socket and saddle as claimed in claim '1 wherein the means spacing said arms from the cord are two mating half cylinders adapted to fit within the arms.

3. An electrical plug socket and saddle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means spacing said arms from the cord are two mating half cylinders integral with the portion of the arms extending over the cord.

4. In an electrical plug socket having terminal plugs at one end and a wire cord extending from the opposite end, the improvement comprising a flexible saddle having openings to receive the terminal plugs and fitting between the terminal prongs, arms on said saddle extending on opposite sides of the plug and parallel to a portion of the cord, means spacing said arms from the cord and fastening means fixing the arms about the cord and free of pressure contact on the cord.

5. An electrical plug socket and saddle as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means spacing said arms from the cord are two half cylinders adapted at one end to abut the plug socket and having cooperating resilient fastening means between them holding said cylinders about the cord.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,565,486 12/25 Moody 33911O 1,618,723 2/27 Pearson 339--11O 1,677,622 7/28 Dreuil 3391 10 1,765,035 6/30 Stubbs.

2,136,850 11/38 Honey 339103 2,986,719 5/61 Adams 339-45 3,160,947 12/64 Sunderlin 339-45 X JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A AN ELECTRICAL PLUG SOCKET HAVING TERMINAL PLUGS AT ONE END AND A WIRE CORD EXTENDING FROM THE OPPOSITE END, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE SADDLE FITTING BETWEEN THE TERMINAL PRONGS, ARMS ON SAID SADDLE EXTENDING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PLUG AND PARALLEL TO A PORTION OF THE CORD, MEANS SPACING SAID ARMS FROM THE CORD AND FASTENING MEANS FIXING THE ARMS AOUT THE CORD AND FREE OF PRESSURE CONTACT ON THE CORD. 